


Cauterize

by Snakeinthegrass



Category: Avatar: The Last Airbender
Genre: Badass Toph Beifong, Bisexual Female Character, F/F, F/M, Firebending & Firebenders, Friends to Lovers, Iroh (Avatar) is a Good Uncle, Iroh (Avatar) loves Tea, Master firebender iroh, Morally Ambiguous Character, Mutual Pining, Order of the White Lotus, Precious Aang (Avatar), Science, Slow Burn, Slow To Update, Zuko is an Awkward Turtleduck, firebender, healing with firebending, iroh just keeps adopting troubled kids, lu ten made peace with it, luckily zuko can, oc can’t lift a weapon to save her life
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-01
Updated: 2021-02-14
Packaged: 2021-03-12 11:13:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,359
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29134623
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Snakeinthegrass/pseuds/Snakeinthegrass
Summary: Kaz has always known she had two talents: firebending and getting caught up in her own reckless decisions.Probably that’s why she ended up as a fugitive of the Fire Nation and part of a secret society. As long as she got to see the world it couldn’t be too bad right?It could, especially if ones gets caught in between an angry old friend, two distrusting siblings and a way too peaceful Avatar.-Kaz observed Katara while she stomped towards the ginormous fluff that was Appa. Then she moved her eyes towards Sokka, he was already sitting on the saddle and was holding his boomerang in what was meant to be a threatening way. She sighed and turned to Aang at her side.“They really hate me huh?”The Avatar looked back at her sheepishly. “Maybe hate is too strong of a word, they just have to get used to you. In any case I’m your friend now so you can lighten up!”Kaz raised one of her brows. “We’ve known each other for approximately three hours.”Aang just gave her a huge smile. “Yeah, but in these three hours you saved my life and healed my friends”Kaz looked at the sky. “Bonding experiences I guess.” She mumbled.If possible Aang smiled even wider. “Exactly!“.-
Relationships: Lu Ten/Original Male Character(s), Original Female Character/Original Female Character, Zuko (Avatar)/Original Female Character(s)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 8





	1. Prologue-Silent Feet

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! This is my first ATLA story, so well, welcome. Fair warning English isn’t my first language and this is more of an experiment and a way to write to the void, so there could be mistakes and I’ll take quite a bit to update. In any case I hope you’ll enjoy reading this experiment.

"Do not chase another human being. Instead, chase your curiosity. Chase your development and your goals. Chase your passion. Strive to work for something bigger than yourself, and instead of trying to convince someone that you fit within their world, strive to build your own."  
-Bianca Sparacino, Seeds Planted in Concrete. 

This was a bad idea, very much so, but she never was capable of resisting the gentle pull of curiosity.  
Her mum would always tell her curiosity killed the cat-owl, Kaz though that at least the cat-owl would die satisfied.

As soon as she had heard that Prince Iroh of the fire nation was visiting their city she had decided she would know why. It wouldn't be too hard Kaz kept repeating in her mind, she'd been sneaking in governor's Xhu residence for two years; no one has never noticed her.

The first time she had entered the residence was out of hunger, her mum did the best she could to feed them but it wasn't always enough, so she had stolen from the kitchen. Each time she got in she became braver, she did it less out of necessity and more out of delight. One time she had stolen the ingredients for her favourite tea; her mum understood what she had been doing. Kaz got a scolding and promised she wouldn't steal other food, she kept her promise and ended up stealing money instead. 

It was during one particular escapade in the governor's office that she heard him talk. As soon as she heard the door rattle she hid in the dark; the governor and one of his accountants had entered the office and had started discussing. The governor was collecting higher taxes so that he could conduct a lavish life and he was falsifying the documents he sent back to the capital, the accountant wanted to stop the heist. A few weeks later the accountant had disappeared. This is how Kaz learned that information was what was really worth stealing, so she went back every week and listened, she listened to the servants, she listened to the governor, she listened to his wife and her friends; maybe one day what she knew could help her or maybe it could make her disappear like the accountant. 

This his how she ended up hiding on a beam in the room that was to be occupied by the Dragon of the West. Kaz had dimmed the candles with her bending and hid once again in the shadows, her eyes keen and her ears perked wondering why she just couldn't resist her curiosity. 

The door creaked and Prince Iroh came in, he looked disappointingly normal, typical fire nation top knot and pointy beard. She looked at him while he set up a Pai Sho table for a game and started preparing a pot of tea with two porcelain cups, a grave frown on his face. Maybe he was expecting someone, she hoped they would talk about something important or maybe just play Pai Sho, at least she could learn how to play the board game. 

"I hope you enjoy ginseng tea." 

Who was he talking to? He was the only one in the room, except for Kaz, he couldn't have noticed her couldn't he? Maybe he was just mad and was talking to a ghost. Her breath hitched in her throat silently.  
"I'm talking to you beam spy, I usually am quite good at guessing people's favourite tea by their looks but well, I can't really see you."  
He continued with a firm tone. 

Kaz had messed up, she had bit more than she could chew and now she was going to pay for it. Would her mum be angry or sad at what she had done? Would she pay to? 

Her voice came out wispy and incredibly shaky. "How?"  
Prince Iroh turned around towards the sound of her voice and for the first time got a peek at the intruder. Big scared orange eyes were looking at him from the ceiling, they weren't a spy of the governor they were just a kid. He thought of his own son and his voice softened.  
"You're controlling the flames to hide you, the flickering is following your breath though, it's much too regular to be natural, on the other hand, I must compliment your control it's very good." 

The flames flickered again, the kid was really scared, he looked at the beam again and saw tiny droplets of water hitting the ground just beneath it, they were crying, Iroh's heart clenched. 

"Come out, if you don't like tea or Pai Sho it's alright, even if I must say tea is one of life finest delights, you should try it." 

Kaz couldn't really think about tea at the moment, the only thing in her mind was how scared she was and that she didn't want to disappear like the accountant, she just wanted to go back to her mom. Tears kept falling down her face and the flames flickered more as her breath became more erratic, the stupid flames that betrayed her.  
Her voice came out even shakier.  
"Are you going to make me disappear like the accountant?" 

Iroh's eyebrows shot even higher, this was the last question he was expecting. 

"Don't cry, I'm not making you disappear. I want to speak to you and then you can go back to your family." 

The eyes were looking at him again as if to gauge his sincerity. Then they disappeared in the darkness and the kid appeared to move. He couldn't really tell, since he stopped hearing them. Then he saw a little kid silently hopping from the beam on top of the closet, dirty clothes and messy black hair, probably around Zuko's age.  
"What did you say about the accountant? Why did they disappear?" 

Kaz perked up at this question, the governor was lying to the royal family, to Prince Iroh, maybe if she used what she knew right she could go back to her mum. She still didn't trust the Prince word, she knew rich people lied more often, but she could at least try.  
"If I tell you you'll let me go?" 

"I would have let you go in any case, but if you tell me you could really help me out." 

Iroh saw the kid, probably a little girl, thumbing through her hair while trying to decide if he was trustworthy. He thought of Zuko; he would have trusted everyone without a second thought. This kid seemed much warier. Her wispy voice interrupted his musings.  
" The governor is lying about the tax money, the accountant wanted to tell the truth but he disappeared just after fighting with the governor about it." 

She was looking at him now, her eyes burning with hope, her hand still thumbing through her hair.

"Thank you, but how do you know this?" 

Kaz started shaking, he had tricked her, she was really in trouble now, she should have never mentioned the accountant, she looked around the room but he was a soldier and he would be able to stop her. She guessed she could only tell the truth, maybe that would be enough to protect her mum. 

"I was in his office, I was stealing from him, I just wanted to be able to buy something nice for dinner. He has all the documents in his study too, I don't understand everything they say but I could read enough to know they were about taxes and expenses." 

Iroh sighed, his brother was right to call him a bleeding heart, this was just a kid caught up in something bigger than her. Yes, she had committed crimes, but he couldn't ignore the talent she showed, good control of her fire and the promise of being a great spy for the Nation if trained right. Maybe that was the solution, he could take her in as an apprentice so she wouldn't be punished. He had to find her parents, probably one of them was a servant at the residence, he could talk to them. He would just have to convey his sincerity to the kid. 

"You did something very wrong Kaz, but I think you're a good kid, maybe if you bring me to your parents we can solve this situation, are they here? Should I call for them? I swear I won't hurt you nor them" 

Kaz's eyes widened, she looked at the Prince trying to understand if he was lying to her, but he looked sincere. So she decided to just trust him completely, her hand still in her hair and looking at her feet she answered. 

"My mum works in the red light district" 

Iroh let a sigh escape his chest. Talented indeed if she had sneaked in from the outside, multiple times apparently. Probably a trouble maker too. Whatever, he smiled reassuringly at her and spoke. 

"Hop down Silentfeet, let's go find your mum." 

The kid had luckily stopped trembling and now was looking at him with scrunched up brows, still thumbing through her hair.  
"Silent feet?" 

Iroh let out a laugh.  
"That's your nickname until you tell me how you're actually called"  
***

Iroh soon found out that Silentfeet's real name was Kaz. Her mother worked in one of the city's brothels and she made excellent rose tea, whenever Kaz managed to get her hands on the right ingredients at least. Also, Kaz had apparently entered his room out of curiosity and not to steal, she was lucky it had been Iroh and not Ozai the Prince visiting. 

He had convinced the guards to let him go alone, he argued a six-year old couldn't possibly harm a master fire bender. Now he was in front of a red brick building in the shady part of town, Kaz standing by his side and glaring at the door.  
"My lord, do you really want to talk with my mum?" 

Iroh was surprised at the shift in formality.  
"Positive." 

Kaz sighed, she approached the door and just before she entered her mother rushed out embracing her.  
"Where were you, Kaz? I was so worried."  
"I'm sorry mum," Kaz mumbled in her arms.  
At that moment her mum raised her gaze and noticed Prince Iroh, a few feet behind Kaz, silently observing them. Her eyes widened when she recognised who he was, she moved Kaz behind her back and bowed deeply.  
"My Lord, I'm sorry if Kaz has done something to displease you, she's just a child, she didn't mean any harm. If there is a way in which I can repay your troubles, I'll gladly follow through with it."

Iroh smiled gently. Kaz was definitely a trouble maker if her mother was already assuming the worst.  
"I'll gladly accept a cup of tea for my troubles, your daughter says you're an excellent brewer."

The woman's posture seemed to relax at his answer. She straightened her spine and nodded. She was incredibly pretty, her and Kaz shared the same bright orange eyes and black hair but the similarities seemed to end there, the woman had long straight hair, an oval face and a straight sophisticated nose. Little Kaz in short words was scruffy.  
"Yes, My Lord, follow me. I am sorry our home is far too humble for a Prince."

Iroh shook his head and gestured for the woman to lead the way. "It's not a problem, Miss.?

"My name is Syrah, My lord."  
At this she turned around and walked to the back of the red building where another smaller house was situated, it was probably where the workers resided.  
Kaz was walking next to him meekly, the spirited child he had talked to until now gone, Iroh smiled at her and ruffled her already messy hair. Kaz looked at him surprised and then smiled back.  
They finally arrived in a small room with two cots, Syrah took out an old pot and started brewing their tea, probably rose from the delicious smell that now permeated the room.  
Once he was surprised to see Kaz move and fill his cup and then her mother's, then her Syrah filled Kaz's cup; so the little girl knew how to behave, she just chose not to.  
Iroh drank a sip of tea and his eyes widened.  
"This is the most delicious tea I've ever had, your daughter was right in praising you." 

Syrah smiled sadly. "My parents owned a tea shop, they and the shop where lost in the war."  
Iroh looked at her with sympathy, he could imagine how she ended up here now.  
"I'm sorry for your loss."

Syrah steeled herself, this wasn't just a courtesy visit, she glanced at Kaz she looked relaxed but Zyrah saw the wariness behind her gaze. What had she done this time? Kaz was such a bright child but she just didn't understand that she couldn't sneak around and cause trouble without consequences.  
"I'm sorry for my directedness but what is this visit due, My Lord?" 

Kaz saw the Prince take another sip of his tea, then put the cup on the low table. His smile had faded and she couldn't help but feel nervous. She tried to make herself smaller and sip her tea quietly. Then the Prince broke the silence.  
"Kaz sneaked into my room at the governor's residence," here it comes, he's going to discuss her punishment with her mum, who at the moment was looking at her shocked. "she also told me that she had been stealing from the residence and listening in on conversations. Unfortunately, theft is a crime, fortunately, what she heard was helpful to the Royal family."

Kaz was really tense now, both her and her mother were expecting the Prince to continue, it could either go very bad or very well. She had definitely messed up but maybe that conversation she had overheard would help her case.  
Prince Iroh continued."Moreover, she has shown talent as a possible spy, would she serve the Nation and very good control of her firebending for her age. I propose to forget her crime and I would like to take her as my student. This means that she will have to come to the Royal Palace with me and won't be able to come back here."

Kaz breath stopped, he wanted to take her as his student? This was a huge opportunity but it would mean leaving mum. She couldn't help but speak up.  
"What if I want to stay?" 

Her mum hissed her name, she didn't want her to be in ulterior trouble because of her attitude. Iroh looked at her directly, he wasn't smiling anymore.  
"We would have to arrange some sort of punishment for you, I don't know what it will be, the governor would decide and he's not a gentle man."

Kaz looked at the cup, this was true. The governor wasn't forgiving and without the Prince on her side things would go down badly. Iroh spoke again.  
"Think about it Kaz, what life awaits you here? You too Syrah, I know you love your daughter, do you want to keep her here and deny her the possibility to grow up with something more?" 

Syrah knew the Prince was right, she loved her daughter and letting her go was the best thing for her. It didn't mean it was easy, Kaz was the best thing in her life, despite her being a handful most of the time. Syrah would miss her incessant questions, the bright smile she gave her when she got a good grade at school or seeing Kaz thumbing through her hair while she concocted some plan.  
Syrah looked at her daughter who was still staring at her cup of tea like it held all the answers she needed, took her chin in her hand and leaned in to give her a peck in her forehead.  
"Kaz, I know you don't want to leave me but this is probably the best opportunity you'll ever have, you shouldn't let it go for me. Just remember to never let the sunshine inside of you get dimmer."

Kaz was looking at her mum now, her eyes watery, she didn't want to leave her, but her mum was right. So, Kaz closed her eyes let her tears disappear and looked back at Prince Iroh of the fire nation with determination. 

"I'll be honoured to be your student, Master Iroh."

Mum had told her that grandfather Kuzon always said to test your luck, you may gain a dragon ride. Kaz had tested her luck the moment she had entered that room, maybe the ship to the capital would be her dragon ride or maybe she would get burned.


	2. Fire Lord “Arse”ulon

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Kaz arrives at the palace and meet an unpleasant Fire Lord and a very friendly prince. She also starts learning fire bending.

“Good decisions come from experience. Experience comes from making bad decisions.”  
-Mark Twain.

Kaz's eyes widened as the ship approached the Great Gates of Azulon. Her gaze swept over the gigantic statue of the Fire Lord and the brass dragons sculpted in the sides of the bay. As she took in the imposing structure; she had never seen anything like this. 

The governor had been arrested and thanks to the scrolls she had noticed they had managed to prove his crimes. Things seemed to go well but Kaz missed her mum. 

Iroh had started her training during their three days trip back to the Capital City. After assessing she had control down to a notch they had started on basic firebending forms. Kaz would have started firebending lessons at school in the following months, but Iroh was sure that with his teaching she could thrive and be more than just a foot soldier.

At that moment Master Iroh joined her side and ruffled her hair, he smiled at her and spoke.  
"What is your first impression of the capital?" 

Kaz looked ahead at the city with sparkling eyes.  
"It's so beautiful."

Iroh laughed at her wide eyes, she looked as if by opening them more she could take more information in. "Wait until you see the palace. I hope you'll find yourself at home, my son Lu Ten is eager to meet you; I hope he won't try to steal my student."  
Kaz giggled at that and looked up at Iroh for a moment, only to look right back at the city while the ship docked.  
"I'm eager to meet him too, from how you talk about your son he sounds great. I'm sure I'll look up to him too."

Iroh's face suddenly turned serious, he took Kaz by her shoulders gently and looked at her in the eyes.  
"Kaz, I sent a letter to Fire Lord Azulon too, in order for me to take a student he wants to make sure you really show promise. As soon as we get to the palace we will meet with him; it's imperative for you to be on your best behaviour and do everything I say."

Kaz nodded and looked back at him, the childish joy was gone from her eyes now. In its stead, Iroh saw the clever spark he observed every time he showed her a new firebending form. She was storing and processing the information he just gave.  
"Yes, Master Iroh."  
With this, she was back at observing the scenery, but behind the joy, he could still see the gears turning in her brain, she had also started thumbing through her hair again. Iroh smiled at that, Kaz's love for knowledge and natural curiosity if rightly cultivated could be her greatest weapon. He ruffled her hair again and motioned her to follow him.  
***  
Kaz stood behind Iroh in front of the doors of the throne room. All the confidence she had on the ship had disappeared, what if the Fire Lord thought she wasn't worthy of being taught? Especially by his firstborn son and heir to the throne. She took a breath and tried to calm her nerves. Master Iroh looked back at her with a reassuring smile.  
"Ready?" Kaz's voice was non-existent so she just nodded in response. 

When Iroh entered the throne room Kaz followed silently behind him. The Palace was the most sumptuous place she had ever been in, even more than the governor's residence, and the throne room wasn't any less intricately decorated.  
The room was wide and covered in dark red stone, large columns set on golden stumps occupied the whole space. The throne was positioned above a set of stairs and behind it stood a golden statue of a dragon. The only source of light was the fire that came out from beneath the snarling Stratton. On the throne sat Fire Lord Azulon. 

The man was old. He had long white hair and small beady eyes, his gaze was set on Iroh but it still made Kaz get goosebumps. While looking straight at Iroh he spoke.  
"Welcome back my son. Didn't you bring your street pick-up along as I asked?" 

Iroh made a sign for Kaz to move into sight, she did so and bowed in front of the Fire Lord, mostly to hide her displeased face for being called street pick up.  
"Yes, here she is, father."

The Fire Lord squared her down, looking at Kaz as if she was nothing more than a little ant. Kaz assumed it made sense since he was the Fire Lord. It still wasn't pleasant, this man was supposed to care for his citizens not think of them as dirt; Master Iroh had never regarded her with so much disrespect despite Kaz being his student and coming from low social status.  
"Rumpled. Too small, can it even firebend. At least it's as silent as you told me in the letter."

Kaz bristled, 'IT!?', she was a person, a kid yes, but a person non the less. She had to bite her tongue not to lash out, she tasted the coppery flavour of blood and glared at her feet. 

Iroh's brows furrowed.  
"Despite her age, Kaz already has enough control of fire, I've already been able to teach her some forms. Test her, she will not disappoint."

The Fire Lord appraised Kaz with the same haughty look.  
"Show me this incredible control my son talks about. I want you to control the flames behind my back, surely you'll be capable of such a small feat.."  
Kaz heard Iroh take a sharp breath, apparently, he wasn't expecting this. The Fire Lord was looking at her with an evil glint in his eyes as if to mock her. A little child that flew too close to the sun and ended up burnt. At that moment the room was plunged into darkness.

Kaz set her face in a determined scowl, she was tired of being looked down upon, she was tired of being just a street pick-up, she was tired of being regarded as dirt. Kaz closed her eyes and tried to feel for the source of the flames, it was barely there smouldering coals behind the throne, there were so many though; to light them up she would have to use all her will. It didn't matter, she had to do it. Her anger turned in cold tenacity, she was good and she would show them that she could be great. 

She took one deep breath and the flames didn't follow.  
She took another and the coals didn't get any warmer.  
Kaz took a third breath, she thought of her mother, she had to succeed for her too, she thought of Master Iroh who had seen something in her nobody's else had. When she released the air from her lungs the coals were lit by a tiny spark. Slowly a little flame spread out across the darkness, it was just enough for her to see some of the warm hues behind her closed eyelids. It was nowhere as big and bright as the one made by Azulon; like a squirrel-toad compared with a dragon. She could keep control of it only for a couple more breathing cycles. When she, at last, couldn't manage the flames anymore she opened her eyes to the dark room once again, dejected, she had failed. 

The fire illuminated them once again, this time burning hot and bright but always steady. Azulon had lit it up once again.

Why was the Fire Lord looking at her with wide surprised eyes? She turned to Iroh, he wasn't smiling, but his eyes were glimmering. The Fire Lord speaking to her once again called back her attention.  
"Apparently you're worth something little girl." He then turned to Iroh, "Take her as your student, a dull sword needs sharpening to become deadly."

Iroh bowed "Yes, father."  
He turned around and made a sign for Kaz to follow, she bowed once again to the Fire Lord and scuttled after the Prince. 

Once outside Iroh looked at Kaz with the same glimmer in his eyes. "You know what you did Kaz?"  
Kaz frowned, "Not really, I barely managed to make some fire, I could not even control it properly, I failed." Iroh shook his head, "You shouldn't have been able to control it at all, Azulon gave you something way to difficult for you. We're lucky you're better than I thought, that or more stubborn than an earthbender."  
Kaz's eyes widened then her hand started thumbing through her hair, "I was just wanted to succeed, to prove I'm good enough." She mumbled uncertainly. Then her eyes lost focus while she continued thumbing through her hair.  
Iroh noted she had gone in thinking mode, what exactly she was thinking about he didn't know, she would tell him once she got to a conclusion.  
He gently took her shoulders and guided her through the palace, he really had missed his son and couldn't wait to embrace him again. Iroh hoped Lu Ten wouldn't be thrown off by Kaz's presence. He doubted Lu Ten would have a problem.  
***  
Luckily lunch was a pleasurable endeavour. Kaz at first felt intimidated by Lu Ten, he was sixteen and was a Prince. As soon as Iroh presented them he gave her an exasperated look, shook his head while looking at his father and then politely introduced himself. Now she thought the heir to the throne might be the best person in the whole world, she finally had found someone to whom she could fire as many questions as she wanted. Usually, people just shut her up but Lu Ten just answered everything she asked with a smile. 

Lu Ten knew his father had a tender heart beneath his general armour so when he had received his letter where he told him about the new student he wasn't surprised. A talented little kid destined to either the front lines or reform school? Obviously, his father had taken her under his wing. At first, he was just resigned to his father decision but Kaz was already growing on him; be it her crazy curiosity about pretty much everything or the way her eyes widened every time he answered one of her many questions, all in all, she looked like an overexcited puppy and one couldn't help but love puppies. Also if he had to be fair he liked feeling like he was the one who held all the answers. 

Iroh was glad his son had the patience of a sage. Kaz had been asking him the most random things that seemed to cross her mind like 'where does the sun go when it sets?' or 'How many letters can travel through the Omashu mail system?'. Lu Ten had been answering each one of them for almost two hours and somehow was still smiling at the exuberant kid. 

A mischievous glint passed through Kaz's eyes, she smirked up at Lu Ten. The young Prince shivered in his spot, that smirk reminded him an awful lot of Azula, it wasn't a good sign for it to be directed at him.  
"Any other questions, Kaz?" His voice felt strained.  
An innocent expression took the place of the smirk, Lu Ten relaxed a bit.  
"Yes, the last one for now- Where do babies come from?"  
An undignified squeak came out of Lu Ten's mouth and his eyes seemed too almost pop out of their sockets. Iroh started coughing he had apparently choked on his green tea.  
The young teen started stuttering, "The- uh-they, you-uhm-you know, two pe-eh-people that love..." 

Kaz started snickering and looked at Lu Ten with amusement. "I'm sorry, it was too good of an opportunity to pass it out."  
The Prince looked at her in mock offence and shrilly told her "I'm not answering any of your questions after this!".

Kaz's mouth hung open, she had to recover, she had to use her greatest weapon.  
Her eyes widened and her mouth set into a pout, she used her puppy eyes. "No, come on, you're already my favourite person in the whole world."

Lu Ten looked at her sceptically, although a smile was already lifting the corners of his mouth. "Don't try to fool me, I'm not answering anymore-for now," Kaz answered with a large smile. 

At that moment Iroh's booming laughter interrupted their bickering. These light moments where the things he fought for; every time he went to the front lines he longed to feel the warmth of his family again. Even if Kaz was mainly here to learn how to fight he hoped he could give her a second home.  
***  
"Kaz, when you move your feet you tend to lose your root. Remember, be steady but be flexible."

Iroh's voice reverberated in the empty training room.  
Kaz brows furrowed, what was that even supposed to mean? 

"Yes, master." She conceded while trying to understand the instructions. 

"Good, now repeat this sequence again ten times." 

Kaz's eyes widened, she dropped her stance and turned towards Iroh.  
"TEN?!"  
Her voice sounded almost screechy "I don't even get how I am supposed to stand."

Iroh hummed from where he sat. "Why didn't you tell me that you didn't understand my instructions?" 

Kaz adverted her gaze and shrugged. "I didn't want to seem lacking." 

Iroh stood up. "If you don't understand you have to say so. In any case, let me demonstrate." 

He threw out a low punch and flames came with it. One leg in front of the other, both slightly bent. He then moved one leg back and quickly threw out two other fire punches. Jumping gracefully he landed in a crouch, the fire still following his movements. He stood up and threw two other punches, this time in different directions all the while switching his footing. 

Kaz was trying to take it all in. The stance that was so difficult for her especially. Iroh was always swift on his feet without being unstable. 

He looked at her calmly. "You get it now?" Iroh asked, "Earthbenders need to be stronger than the rock they move; waterbenders need to move as fluidly as the ocean they control; airbenders need to be as light as the wind they used to fly and we; firebenders, need to be as willful as the flames we produce." 

Kaz nodded looking pensive."I understand master."

Iroh put a hand on her shoulder and squeezed reassuringly. " You stand too much like an Airbender Kaz, too light on your feet, it is both your greatest strength and your weakness. When you'll be a master you'll be able to use it to your advantage, the same way you'll be able to learn from other benders to become stronger; but for now, you have to learn the basics because without them you won't be able to learn the rest."

Kaz looked up at him, this time she looked more determined, something akin to longing burned behind her eyes.  
"So this is only the first step, what is the limit?"

Iroh's eyes widened maybe not longing, more like hubris. "I don't know Kaz what the limit of firebending is." She smiled, her eyes burning even more intensely, then she would be the one to find out.

Iroh squeezed her shoulder once again and brought her out of her thoughts. "Come on, repeat the sequence correctly ten times and then we will have tea."

This time Kaz did not complain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to all of those that have decided to give this story a chance. I hope the lack of Zuko for these first two chapters wasn’t too upsetting, I just wanted to give some characterisation to Kaz. Moreover I have planned three other chapters before the actual storyline of ATLA starts.
> 
> Next chapter: Stolen Pastries and Turtleducks.


End file.
